Sing and be happy

This month is a month of singing. We are thankful that we can help congregations in their singing. We enjoy the time together as much as they and we all learn something from one another. This has always been a part of our ministry and as long as I can sing it will remain so. God has put a song in our hearts and singing is what we all will be doing together when we finally get Home. 

This month we have several opportunities to help in singing. The congregation in Haarlem (about 2,5 hours north of us) asked me to come and help them learn new songs and learn how to sing better. We went up at the end of August and will return near the end of September. This is a mix of learning music notation - what is a fermata, what is the difference between ff and mp, why do we breathe at a comma - and remembering that singing for God is about singing with your heart and your head. 

I always want to remind people that God made us to sing. Singing is divine, built for who and what we are. It is the only thing that touches mind and soul at the same time. You can literally feel the sound in your body, but you need to pay attention to the words you are singing. So taking time to look at the words in a song, making sure we understand it, is just as important as learning the rhythm or tempo or harmony. 

The group in Haarlem was excited to learn new songs and to learn more about singing. It was also a great time of fellowship, especially for us. We do not get to see the members of this congregation very often, although many of my Dutch roots come from here. I worked as an evangelism apprentice here when I first came to the Netherlands and learned my Dutch in this city. 

This past weekend we were in Cologne, Germany for a day of singing. Every February Uli and I see each other at the Advanced Bible Study Series (ABSS) in Germany. He is from the congregation in Cologne and I am from Maastricht. We started getting together for a singing back in 2014 when we talked about including Aachen again in some way. Aachen is in the middle between the two cities. We organized a singing and have kept this up (with some exceptions during corona years) every year. We have been in Cologne twice, in Aachen twice and in Maastricht three or four times. 

This singing day n Cologne brings us together with another congregation. We had 6 members from Maastricht attend (it would have been 8, but two were incapacitated, including Shirley). The group also included a refugee couple and a visiting couple from the neighborhood. We sing and speak more in German, but this time we also sang some in French. When we started members from Liege, Maastricht, Aachen and Cologne all attended, making it quite international. This time in Cologne we remembered that in heaven we will all be able to sing together in whatever language it will be. 

This coming weekend several of the members from Maastricht will join others from around the Netherlands and Belgium at the Family Day at camp. So we will get to sing and once again enjoy the wonderful fellowship of being together. This time we will simply take part in the singing, rather than lead any of it. But a week later we will be in Eindhoven for our monthly 3rd Wednesday singing there where we also help with learning new songs. Often people simply need to learn a song and see that they can sing it. 

We enjoy singing songs that members in the Netherlands and Belgium have written, songs written by Russian brothers and translated either into English or Dutch (or German), or new songs crossing over to Europe from other areas of the world. It is exciting to see how the song that God has put in our hearts continues to pour over into words of praise to Him. 

(You can find more photos of our time in Haarlem and Cologne here.)

Whodunit Wednesday: Jim and Ruth Krumrei

This past week Jim and Ruth Krumrei celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary. Every month our town in Belgium puts the various wedding anniversaries of the town in the paper with a picture of the couple and often of their family. These  pictures and mentions begin with 50 years. Nothing less is worthy of mention. I have seen a 65 year a few times and even a 70 year once. I wonder if we will get to see the 75 year anniversary of Jim and Ruth. 

Jim and Ruth live in Haarlem, the Netherlands and are an integral part of my history. When I came to the Netherlands as an apprentice, it was Jim who was my mentor. It was from him and Ruth that I learned, by example, how important it is to have a regular rhythm of reading in God’s word. I was at their house for dinner many nights and they always ended the evening by reading in God’s word. This was how I learned a lot of my Dutch, since the reading was done in Dutch. 

Ruth always took care of me, preparing her delicious rhubarb pie (from rhubarb in their tiny garden out the back) or making her own muesli for me when I was there for breakfast. As a young guy cooking on his own (and I still don’t really know how to cook) it was good to have a place to get real food and have a “mom” who took care of me. Even though I would never have admitted that I needed taking care of at that age. 

Jim and Ruth have always been a part of the church in the Netherlands. This past weekend I was in Haarlem to help the congregation with singing and Jim showed up for a short time. Even at his advanced age (they are both above 90 years-old) he loves to share his joy in Christ. And Ruth will never stop talking about how mighty her loving Saviour is. This time of persistence in purity is such an example to me and others around them. 

No one knows how old they will become. Sometimes I am surprised at my own age and wonder how I got here. I think Jim and Ruth are a good example. They simply got to that age one day at a time, moving forward faithfully with what they know God finds good. That is the type of person I want to be, every day. 

BBQ Days

Summer is usually days of sun, fun, sports and fellowship for many people. If the weather holds out, one could walk through any neighborhood and catch luscious smells wafting through the air as families and friends wait for a good meal. Sitting in the sun, laughing together, sharing the time with one another. And we even have summer in Belgium and the Netherlands, so we also have beautiful bbq days. 

This past weekend was our church barbecue. We have several members who have their birthdays in July and August, so we get together to celebrate. Especially since many of our members are gone in those months doing Bible camp or on vacation. This special day means that we can get together, invite friends and enjoy the fellowship with one another. 

We always offer our house since we have a yard that is large enough to put everything - two tents to sit under in case it is too hot or too wet, space to play for the younger kids, and a nice area to go walking after a meal for those who desire such a walk. Everyone brings the meat they like and a few other dishes - just like our “liefdemaal” (love feast = potluck) which we hold every 4th Sunday. But this barbecue is a time to meet one another in a different setting. 

For some, our backyard is like being on vacation and may be the only time they really get out of their house to a nice place. More importantly, we all have a good time getting to know one another. It is a time to invite family members who do not believe but are more than willing to attend a bbq. This past week we had almost the whole congregation and some fiends and family. 

In the coming month we will also have some good fellowship opportunities, but then in different forms. The first Saturday in September I will lead a singing with the church in Cologne. Several of our members and members from around the Netherlands will also attend. It is always good to meet brothers and sisters from other cities and countries. The second weekend of September will find us all back down at camp for Family Day which will be organized this year by the church in Eindhoven. 

We are so thankful for these days and the family that God has placed us in. What times of fellowship have you had so far this summer? Do you have some days coming up? Who will you be seeing? 

Whensday: Three summers

The summer of 1991 was our first summer as a married couple and evangelists in Belgium and the Netherlands. We had arrived in January of that year and only moved into our house in June the following year. But we were already plugged into the church in Antwerp and fully active in serving in any way that we could. That summer I was one of the teachers for Benjamin Camp at Ardennen Bible Camp. That includes the 8-11 year olds. 

I remember working out lessons and activities (for the first time in Dutch) and trying to make sense of the Dutch language. You see there are lots of dialects in Dutch and Flemish. And young kids usually speak their own dialect. This meant quite the challenge for me since I only spoke Dutch with a Dutch accent (the northern part of the Netherlands where I learned the language). 

In the summer of 2001 I experienced several different things. We had accepted apprentices from York College in 2000, so I was working with them in the summer. These were challenging and very rewarding experiences. It is nice to see how God continues to touch these two lives. 

But I had also taken steps in that year to gain Belgian citizenship. This was because our visa was going to be denied after 10 years. Rules were being changed and it became possible for me to become a Belgian citizen without giving up my US citizenship. I got the news in August that my citizenship had been granted, a short time before important events in September which made it hard for some to understand why I would want a different citizenship. But this way I was now able - like the apostle Paul - to use my citizenship for the kingdom of God. 

In the summer of 2021 we were scrambling to figure out how to continue holding Bible Camp after flooding had devastated the area where our camp is located. We had already dealt with a year organizing camp under corona rules and were thankful that it had been possible. But now our camp had been struck by the flooding. The first two weeks of camp even had to be held at different locations. But they turned out being amazing weeks. That year we not only led the Benjamin Camp at a different location, but also led the Teen Camp week as the first group back at our camp location. 

Our summers are always exciting and challenging, blessed by people and activities that God puts in our lives. 

You can find pictures of the camps in 2021 here: Benjamin Camp and Teen Camp. (The picture is of Benjamin Camp in 2021)

Planning ahead

We try to get back to the US every three years to touch base with the congregations that support us and visit family. All of these spots are spread around the US, meaning quite a time of travel. It is always nice to see everyone again, as well as see plenty of the places we also call “home”. This is why we call it a Home Assignment. The last time we were on Home Assignment was in 2023, so next year, if all goes well, we will be visiting again. 

But this trip takes a good bit of planning and figuring. Which route should we take? How do we plan the various Sundays to work out with the congregations we want to share time with? How should we divide the driving and flying time? And there are always people that we would very much like to see who simply don’t fit on the route. Are there any ways to see them anyway? 

When the boys were still at home, we always had to plan this trip in the summer, during the school vacation. But now, when we could leave whenever we want, we still have to keep our plans for our ministry here in mind. In addition, we have a new granddaughter in the mix and we want to be there for her birthday, which is in the summer vacation months. So I have been figuring, planning, checking prices and generally trying to discover the best way to travel next year. 

We are looking forward to seeing church family in Long Beach, California; Woodbury, Minnesota; Muscatine, Iowa; and Abilene, Texas. But we also hope to see church family we have met in Denver, Colorado; Noblesville, Indiana; and Omaha, Nebraska. These are the places we hope to sp[end our Sundays, although it may not be possible to hit all of them on a Sunday. We only have 8-9 weeks of travel time. 

In this time we also hope to see family in California, Colorado, Nebraska, Montana, Indiana and New York. There is a little bit of overlap between family and churches, but not much. And, as mentioned, there are still others we would like to meet up with who live in places like Tennessee or Pennsylvania or Florida - far out of the route. So we would love your prayers as we plan this time - prayers that we can find some good deals, that we will be able to get things set up, and that our visit will be encouraging to those we meet. 

If you are in any of the places we are planning to visit (mentioned here), put us on your schedule and make plans to find some time to share with us so that we can encourage one another. If you are not on the route, maybe we can meet somewhere along the way (like driving through Iowa or Wisconsin, or Chicago). These Home Assignments are only possible because of the faithfulness of our supporting congregations, brothers and sisters willing to sacrifice so that we can make this trip. Thank you for these possibilities and all the memories from previous times. 

In the meantime, I am traveling every day this week down to camp and back. It is good to see people we don't see too often, meet new people who love the Lord, and share encouragement from God's word. I will be giving the teens a lesson every day, trying to help make the messages from the Minor Prophets something that they can understand and sow into their spiritual growth. 

The living Word

It is exciting to both os us to see how God works in our lives and others through His word, the Bible. When we get to know who Jesus is and begin following him in our daily lives, we are walking in the light, walking with the living Word. This is something that we just can’t keep from others. It is always wonderful to share with others and be encouraged by what we learn from the Word and what we learn through how others grow in the Word. 

We are thankful that we have various opportunities throughout the week to share this with members and seekers. On Monday evenings we are with a loving couple from church who live about an hour away from us. We began meeting with them years ago when they could not make it to the Wednesday evening study but still wanted to keep growing. They also wanted to learn about how to share what they were learning. So we have visited with them and continue to share what we know and learn from what they are learning. 

On Tuesdays Scott has a time at the building when people can come to ask questions about God. Through the years this has meant studies and conversations of all different kinds. Most recently he has been meeting with a woman studying about the old and new covenant, meeting with a mn who wants to understand his faith and daily choose to follow Jesus, and also takes time to encourage a sister in the faith who is shut in. 

Tuesday afternoons have become a time for a group of younger people who want to be encouraged and encourage one another. This is an English-speaking group and is held online. There are folks from nearby (our young Ukrainian couple who libre about 30 minutes away) and further away (two ladies from France and another even from Curaçao. Tuesday evenings we meet in person with a younger sister from the congregation who wants to grow in her faith. 

Wednesday evenings are what is our normal weekly Bible study. IN the past this was held at our house, at the building or at a different member’s home. But since Covid we began meeting online. This has meant that more members can be present. We still head over to our colleagues’ house (10 minutes away) and get online while sitting in their living room. This study (done in Dutch) is a great encouragement for all those who are able to attend. We are so thankful that so many are able to get online and encourage one another in this way. 

Thursday morning I head back over to my colleague’s house (in the summer I might even bike over, like I did last week) for a study we have with a man who wants to know more about the Bible and has plenty of questions about society, science and God’s will. I also uses this day about once a month to visit some people who nee encouragement - in prison in Antwerp and in a psychiatric hospital nearby. These are not Bible studies, but are conversations about the living Word. 

On Friday mornings Shirley gets online with the other ladies of the congregation for a study and prayer time together. As we let people know on our website (www.gvcmaastricht.nl) this is a study by and for women. It is exciting to see how the ladies take the time to help one another and encourage one another. 

We have always prayed that God can use us in the way that He sees fit while we are here (or wherever we are). These are moments that we can share so much of the beauty that we ourselves find in God’s Word. It is also so good to be able to discuss how the things we read fit into our daily lives. God’s Word is not just a study (a word we use a lot), but a discovery of how God works in our lives and what it means to be a follower of Jesus Christ. Thank you for praying for the various opportunities we have to share this glorious news.

How does God’s word influence your live? What challenges have you experienced recently in reading and following Jesu as the living Word? How do you share what you find so beautiful? 

Whensday: Summer Solstice

Almost every Sunday evening I get to have a video call with my best friend. He has been my best friend since Junior High and is the one who brought me to Christ. We consider each other brothers (which we are in Christ). He calls around 9:30 in the evening my time, which is the beginning of afternoon for him, and we pray together. It doesn’t usually last too long, unless I get talking. 

This past Sunday was Father’s Day in the US and he and all of his kids (he has 4 girls and a boy), together with his lovely wife were celebrating outside in their backyard. He checked in to say hi and I got to wave to the girls. Then he commented on something that I have come to take for granted: “Is it still light there?” I flipped the camera and showed him the still light evening, sunlight fading in the background. Where he lives, the sun sets around 8pm at the very latest. 

This is one of the things that I truly enjoy about where we live and miss when we are visiting in the US. In the Summer, the sun sets at about 10pm. This is of course especially true around this week. The longest day of the year is June 20 or 21, the Summer Solstice. Further north, like in Sweden or Norway, or in places like Stonehenge, there are special celebrations for this day. There is nothing like that in Belgium or the Netherlands, but we all enjoy the long days. 

Sometimes this looks like concerts being enjoyed in the evening light. Other times you can go out for an evening walk (trying to get a bit cool after what is for people here a very warm day) and smell people still barbecuing, hear them laughing out in the yard. People here are always looking for as much sun as they can get. If that means staying up until the sun sets, then they will do it. Getting up at the same time the sun rises is a different question entirely. 

This Summer Solstice the congregation in Maastricht will be down at camp for the day. This has become a bit of a tradition for us as a church family. We take time to be together in this wonderful place, encouraging one another, getting to know each other better and enjoying the beauty of camp in the Ardennes. We will eat, sing together, discuss God’s word, take a walk through the woods and know that we are family that belongs to God. 

And I look forward to even longer days. God promises us eternity together with Him. The sun will not set and we will have enough time to do all the things that are the most important. That is part of what this time of year reminds me of. 

Hope and true life

Although many in the Netherlands don’t really know why they have a holiday on this day, we are thankful for the 2nd day of Pentecost - even more so this year. In the Netherlands there are three holidays that get a 2nd day: Christmas, Easter and Pentecost. The fist two have become ambiguous in recent decades, but Pentecost has always been a bit of a strange one. 

For the churches in the Netherlands and Belgium this is a day to get together and encourage one another. Since everyone has free, it is a good day to gather. The Family Day at camp in the Fall is more for the churches in Belgium and this day more for the churches in the Netherlands, since it held in The Hague. But people from all over both country are welcome. This year we had a group of about 60 visit from Maastricht, Antwerp, Ghent, Eindhoven, Haarlem and The Hague, but various countries were also represented. 

Our theme for the day was hope and we finished the day with a visit in a nearby park which concluded with a walk to the beach to see a death, burial and resurrection. Jef had been talking for some time about his faith as he visited in Maastricht. But yesterday after services he stated quite emphatically that he needed to be saved and Jesus was the only one who could do it. He wanted to give his life to the only One who could really give him hope for eternity. 

Jef was already planning on coming to this special day, so we simply planned a little further and took some things along to make it possible for him to be born. We are so thankful for the hope that Jesus truly gives. Praise God for your new brother in Christ and pray for his daily walk and growth in faith. It was great to see so many there today - some of them also young babes in Christ, walking in faith. 

It is so good to see how God can use us in so many different ways to bring life, joy and hope to this world where hope is far away. Our hope is built on the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, which gives us a living hope, tested by fire, founded on the promises of God, stretching into eternity. 

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.   1 Peter 1:3-9

Where oh Where Wednesday: The Hague

In just 10 days we will be in The Hague again for our annual gathering of Dutch-speaking churches. The Hague is also called “Den Haag” or, to make things even more challenging, “’s Granevnhage”. That last one is the official version which was first used I the 15th century and means “the count’s grove (or hedge)”. 

The Hague is the administrative center and seat of government for the Netherlands. So although Amsterdam is the official capital of the Netherlands, parliament meets in The Hague. It is here that you will find the “little tower” where the prime minister meets, here that parliament meets and makes laws, here that the highest courts of the land make judgements. 

The Hague is part of the province of South Holland (whereas Amsterdam is part of North Holland). It is the 3rd largest city in the Netherlands with a population around half a million. With its greater urban area the population comes closer to 800,000 and joins the other major areas which make up the “Randstad” - including Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Utrecht - where roughly half the population of the Netherlands lives. 

The city itself is set along the sea and has a lively variation of activities. You can find Madurodam - a mini park where most of Europe is  shown in miniature, the beach and area of Scheveningen (which also houses a high security prison for international criminals), the International Court of Justice, Europol and a judicial arm of the United Nations. There is a world famous theater, a panoramic museum on the pier of Scheveningen and plenty of modern architecture. It is in the parks of The Hague that activists gather to make their voices heard. 

And this is where, in the 1970’s the church grew due to its international character. The international businesses of Shell, Dow and more meant that the congregation had a varied membership. When Shirley and I arrived in 1981 on a campaign, it was the members of the church here that touched our hearts and called us to return. We spent days delivering flyers I the city. And it was on the steps of the building in The Hague that we had our first kiss (on May 31 1981). 

On June 9 we will enjoy meeting with the various churches from around Belgium and the Netherlands in the building in The Hague. This time we will also spend the afternoon in a park nearby, enjoying fellowship and the beauty of the city. 

Whodunit Wednesday: Ruud en Karla

As you read through the New Testament and the history of the church, you might come across a few names mentioned here and there. But most of the time names are not mentioned, even though we are told of the various churches and people working to spread the good news of Jesus Christ. We have been working together with our colleagues for more than 30 years. Although you may not know their names, their faith and example have touched many here. 

Ruud and Karla Verheijen were the ones who originally asked us to come and join them in working with the church in the Netherlands. Together with their friends Jan and Rosa Blaakmeer we formed a team to establish the church in the south of the Netherlands on the border of Belgium. Throughout the years we have been here, Ruud and Karla have been “pillars of faith” in all that they do. 

Ruud was not brought up in a believing family. He was taken to church by his grandmother who continued to be an influence on him - even now as he talks of her, her faith and shares notes made from her Bible (given to him when she passed away). He has preached and taught not only in the congregation in Maastricht, but at camp weeks, evangelistic outreach campaigns and any other opportunity he can find to share the great news of Jesus. 

Karla is the youngest daughter of Jim and Ruth Krumrei. The Krumrei’s came to the Netherlands as evangelists and settled in Haarlem. I spent two years as an apprentice to Jim back in the 80’s. Karla has been active in children’s activities, ladies retreats, Bible camp weeks, Vacation Bible camp and as an encouragement to sisters around the country. 

Both Ruud and Karla are Dutch. Ruud is a Dutchman. Karla was born and raised in the Netherlands, although she has an American passport. They have lived in Belgium for more than 30 years. They allow God to use them wherever they are in whatever way He wishes and can. It is exciting to see how God can use us in so many different places and ways. 

This past three weeks Ruud and Karla were off to the US visiting family in Arkansas. It made it all the more clear to us how much we are a team here in Maastricht. I think of how the apostle Paul and Prisca and Aquila worked together and am thankful for such co-workers. In a list of workers in foreign fields we often only see those who are financially supported in some way. Ruud and Karla would not show up on such a list. But they remain a faithful hard-working couple for the Lord wherever they are and we are thankful that we can work together with them. 

Around the world

In the Netherlands today is Liberation Day. Yesterday was Remembrance Day when the country remembers the sacrifices of all of those who died in wars to make so many free. Today they celebrate freedom and what that means. It always strikes me that these two things are also inherent in our walk with Christ. We usually are quite aware of this each Sunday, but it was especially so this past weekend. 

We have been missing our colleagues for a few weeks. They had traveled to the US to visit their daughter and see their two granddaughters. They also got to meet with brothers and sisters in Arkansas. This past week they traveled back home, but we did not see them yesterday to worship together. We were off to a city in Belgium to visit with a congregation there (Roeselare). We had not been there for quite some times it was good to see the brothers and sisters there and meet new friends as well. 

While in Roeselare we always remember the saints who went before us and brought so many to faith in Christ there. Faith is not something that we simply have for ourselves. It is a way of true life that we share with everyone around us. Yesterday we were able to see Jose again. She is 100 and still going strong. It reminded me of our sister Willemien who went Home to be with her Saviour when she was 94. We have so many good examples of brothers and sisters who are faithful in walking in the light with Jesus, including Isaak who is only 12 and has just given his life into Jesus’ hands recently.  

Every Sunday we remember not only those who have gone before us, including the apostles and disciples from long ago, but we especially remember Jesus who died for us and lives still today. We celebrate our liberation. We do not only celebrate that we are living in a free country - not everyone we know who is in our Christian family is living safely. We celebrate that we are safe in the hands of Jesus. 

It was wonderful to remember yesterday how connected we are to the body of Christ around the world. We praise God for His grace and for making us into a family. And we will look forward to celebrating again this coming Sunday and each new day that we are given. 

New life!

Every Sunday we celebrate the powerful message and truth of God’s grace in the death and resurrection of Jesus. The blood of Jesus washes our sins, even today, because He is risen. And therefore we, who have died in Him, are risen to new life and hope. Around the world this is celebrated by many at least this past weekend. And the religious calendars were aligned this year so that Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant all celebrated on the same day. 

For us this day was even more beautiful than others because we were reminded of the beauty of the salvation that Jesus brings. Isaak, one of our young people, decided to give his life to Christ and be buried and raised in Him through faith and in baptism. He has become more and more aware the last months of his own life and how much he needs Jesus in his life. So on Friday afternoon, Isaak was buried in Christ and rose to new life. 

How much can a young heart know? He knows that he needs Jesus to save him from himself. He knows that Jesus is mightier than sin and death. He knows that life and happiness, both now and in eternity, are to be found in Jesus. He knows he wants to speak of this great news to any and all around him. We are encouraged to see how much a young heart knows. 

A few weeks ago, some of our older young people were together with young people from around Europe at CYC (Christian Youth Conference). This past week some of our young people were together down at camp for Vacation Bible Camp. Please keep all of these young hearts in your prayers as they too wonder if they need Jesus and if He is their King. In the meantime we have several others in Maastricht, not young ones, who are also considering this same question. And on a Sunday we all remember how beautiful it is that Jesus has given us new life as well. 

Getting to know Jesus

One of the most important things we do here is help people to get to know Jesus. In our daily lives we want to be an example of the life we have been given in Jesus. We also want our speech to be full of the reality of living with the grace that Jesus has brought to our lives. This all means that we try to live intentionally in our lives together and our speech is full of the beauty of what we have found in Jesus Christ. And this takes different forms. 

When we meet someone who is wanting to know more about us and the life we are showing, that can come in different ways. Most recently we received a few phone calls from people who wanted to know if we could pray for them, if they could meet with us, if they could attend our worship time on Sundays. Sometimes these are short conversations on the phone. Other times they have turned into weekly Bible studies and conversations. 

I have often thought about set studies - booklets or programs that asre available. But in my experience, everyone is coming from a different place and meets Jesus in a different way. So I usually want to first hear where they are coming from and then start looking at the story of Jesus. In this walk together through the gospels, we inevitably touch on the points that need to be discussed in relation to life with Jesus. Then we can take more time where the need is greatest. 

This has been how my conversations have gone throughout the years. Sometimes people have met Jesus and have decided that they are not really that interested in what is being offered or the way it is being offered. Jesus is very exclusive and not everyone wants to accept this. In this case, sometimes my relationship with the person we have been talking to either ends or changes. Often times we may maintain a relationship, but it becomes one where I continue to help, but in a different way, offering mercy. 

This has been and continues to be the case with a few people in our lives - taking people to hospital visits and being there after the diagnosis has been declared, helping with physical limits and even being the person to help the family say goodbye when the time comes. 

Other times, the relationship turns into one of family as the person’s desire to know Jesus grows and they give their lives to Him. At this point then the relationship turns into one where we help one another grow in faith. It has been exciting to see how some of the new members of this family challenge us to be servants, to be listeners and to be faithful in times of difficulty. This has been true of several of our sisters who have been added to the church in the last 5 years. 

We recently put out an invitation for a series of “Getting to know Jesus” held at our building. We have usually held these at our home, which is a much less intimidating venue. But we wanted the neighborhood around our building to know of this opportunity. No one responded this time. We will look at offering the opportunity again in the Fall, but in the meantime we will continue with the conversations we have at the moment. 

This includes a conversation with a woman who originally called and asked about what we believe and if she could visit. She has been visiting for several months as well as reading through the gospels (getting to know Jesus) almost every week. Last week she said she has been confronted with the need to be bron again - everywhere she reads, every song she listens to, in all of her prayers. I think of Lydia (Acts 16) whose heart was opened as she listened to the story that Paul was recounting. We pray that we will soon be adding a sister to the family. 

And we continue to look for how God will use us, our example, our speech to touch those around us with the amazing story and life of good news in Jesus Christ. Thank you for your prayers and encouragement. Consider yourself - are you willing to follow Jesus wherever He goes, as He wants? This seems to be our biggest struggle as people. Can we submit to someone else and trust. If we know that He is God Almighty, come to save us and risen from the dead, then we can follow Him even into death, but certainly into obedience in daily life. 

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6

Sweet sisters

We are part of a fairly diverse family of God in Maastricht. I have always been so thankful for the hearts of everyone who is here, their willingness to help one another and intentionally be family for each other. This is especially evident in the sisters of the congregation. 

This past weekend several of our ladies went to the Ladies Retreat which is organized every year in Germany for English-speaking ladies or those who which to attend (there are other German-speaking or French-speaking retreats for ladies as well). It is encouraging to see how some of our ladies attend and encourage one another. 

Some of our ladies do not go to these sort of events, mostly because they cannot handle the travel or the sleeping accommodations. But others because of the situations at home (young children, unbelieving husbands, work schedules). The ladies who go and the ladies who stay both encourage one another, sharing about the weekend, supporting one another. 

This family encouragement continues throughout the year. Some of the ladies meet every Friday morning for a Bible study together. Some of the ladies take time on a Sunday to visit our sister who cannot attend and care for her. Others keep connected via social media or an old-fashioned telephone call. Some even write cards and letters. We have grandma’s, wives, working women, students, single women and daughters - all of them daughters of the King. 

The apostle Paul wrote to Timothy to encourage the older women in the church top help the younger women in the church. Just as with the men, we know that we all can learn from each other. Older members can catch the excitement and energy of younger members. Younger members can learn from the experience and wisdom of older members. This is what I see happening and it is exciting. 

Recently we have had a woman from the neighborhood visiting. She comes for a Bible study on Tuesday, but on Sunday she comes to worship, even as she is discovering what it means to follow Jesus. She sits in the row where several of our ladies sit together and they have wrapped her in their arms. During the coffee yesterday it was great to see sisters connecting with her and encouraging her. 

This coming weekend the ladies have planned a Ladies Day for the neighborhood. They want others to know this great love that God has for us. Please pray for this effort and their continued desire to share the love of Jesus with all of those around them.  

(Photo of the Ladies Day organized by Maastricht sisters November 2023)

There where God is

This past week, as with most years, I was down in Gemünden, Germany for the Advanced Bible Study Series (ABSS). This is a week of Bible study with people from around Europe sitting at the feet of teachers from around Europe and one or two from the US. It is always a time of intense conversation and thinking as well as relaxing walks and even fun goofiness on the Thursday evening. 

It has always struck me how amazing and good it is to be with brothers and sisters from various places talking about the truth of God. This past week we were talking about the presence of God, how we see this in science, in beauty, in suffering and how we lear to follow Jesus in this Way. It struck me that there is no place where God is not; there are loci everywhere where God IS, together with His people. 

This is the very experience we have had throughout the years we have been blessed to serve in the area of Belgium and The Netherlands. We are blessed to be here because people in many places give their finances, encouragement and prayer so that we can be here. This past week reminded me of this truth as well. I was working through our financial statements in preparation for doing our taxes for the US and was reminded of all those who are it possible for us to be here. 

After this year we will no longer have financial support from the S. 11th and Willis congregation. They were the ones with whom we started our married life and were always a missional group of followers of Christ. Although this congregation has now folded into another in Abilene, Texas, we hold the memories and encouragements from through the years close to our heart. 

Another group of followers who have long supported and encouraged us is the congregation in Muscatine, Iowa. They, too will be dialing back their financial support in the coming year. Knowing the hearts of many of the members there we pray that they will not lose their focus on the mission of God around the world as they strive to discover how best to use the funds God has given into their care. We are thankful to be connected in many ways to the living fellowship there and to remember with joy how we are welcomed with open arms when we come “home”. (Find them here)

In a continuation of this movement towards the North we land at the Woodbury congregation in Woodbury, Minnesota (Minneapolis-St. Paul area). This is a group of people who have encouraged us from the beginning and worked through many changes to keep us in their prayers and minds and hearts. Every group of followers changes throughout the years as new people are added to the body and others go to their reward - waiting for the rest to join them soon. Woodbury continues to look for ways to pass on the grace of God in any way possible not only to the surrounding area 9which has changed immensely through the years) but also throughout the world. (Find them here)

Our sponsoring congregation and encouragers from the beginning are the members of the Lord’s body in Long Beach, California. It has always amazed me to see how this group has struggled through the various changes that come through the years, but always trying to focus on grace and salvation to any and all who come. This family makes sure we are linked to the others who financially support us, so that all goes well on the front. But they also continually share their hearts with us as well, praying for our needs. (Find them here)

Most recently (in 2023) we have become linked to the Oldham Lane church in Abilene, Texas. Although we still need to get to know this congregation better, we are thankful for their willingness to help us financially. We look forward to getting to know them better the next time we are in the US (normally that would be in 2026). 

Besides these various groups of people, we are also blessed with the encouragement, financial support and spiritual mentorship and friendship of various individuals and families. The Eck’s first visited us as students to work with us I this area and continue to support this work. The Bundy’s have supported and taken part in work in many places around the world including Belgium and continue to encourage, support and be an example to many, including us. The McNeill’s traveled in the past, experiencing this very idea of God’s people everywhere. Their hearts continue to be with the people they know and the people God knows in places around the world. The Cron’s and the Jablonski’s in California, and the Stovall’s now from Iowa, have remained strong encouragers and supporters throughout the years. In years past other families have helped, visited, encouraged and worked together with us, including the Skarin’s, Tornij’s and Rampton’s. 

God is in all places. He is here in the group of followers in Maastricht who also support us daily in their spiritual encouragement and monthly in their financial support. We have a connection with God’s family all over Europe, through to Asia and Africa, down through South America and even in Australia. God wants his family to be everywhere. And He is able to use any and all of us to make this possible. We are thankful that He has used us and continues to use us, with you, to reach people who do not yet know Him here. 

Know that God still wants to use you wherever you are now and that He is able. We are so very thankful for God’s faithfulness and for so many of you who have helped so many hearts here.